Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1210212
80 DESIGN007 MAGAZINE I FEBRUARY 2020 Flex Is Heating Up What the Flex? by Andy Shaughnessy, I-CONNECT007 It has been a busy few weeks for I-Con- nect007, and if the first few trade shows of this year are any indication, it's going to be a good year for our industry and for flex designers and manufacturers. This year, the calendar was our friend, with DesignCon and IPC APEX EXPO falling one week apart in Silicon Valley and San Diego, re- spectively. After DesignCon was over, I stayed on the West Coast until IPC APEX EXPO be- gan. When it's freezing in Atlanta, there's no sense in coming back home for three days. DesignCon and IPC APEX EXPO both had good attendance numbers, despite fears that the coronavirus outbreak would take its toll. Very few attendees wore masks at either show, but a few Americans, who live primarily in China, told me it would be summer before they returned home. On the show floor, I was struck by the num- ber of exhibitors who were using virtual real- ity in one form or another to demo their lat- est solutions. Some companies used the "old- school" headset, while others offered 360° views of their machines via a tablet, with no headset required. This is a great idea; anything that we can do to interest young people in this industry is a positive move.